Thaindian News

New Delhi, Nov 30 (IANS) Hoping to end the stalemate over demands for a parliamentary probe into the allotment of 2G spectrum, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar Tuesday hosted an elaborate lunch for leaders of all political parties.

The meeting at the committee room of the parliament library complex began at 1.30 p.m. and promises to be long. The discussions attended by leaders of all parties in the house, informed sources said, would take place after lunch.

On the menu is chicken biryani, vegetable pulao, fish curry, mixed vegetables, dal tadka and kheer for dessert.

Hoping to reach some sort of consensus, Meira Kumar will try to bring the government and the opposition on the same page on the issue that has seen adjournments for 13 successive days.

Ahead of the meeting, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee met United Progressive Alliance (UPA) allies to firm up the government’s response.

While the opposition is firm on the demand for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the scandal that forced DMK leader A. Raja to quit as communications minister, the government is also adamant that it will not give in.

Raja had in 2008 ordered the spectrum allotment at low rates leading to huge financial losses to the national exchequer, alleges the opposition.

Allies of the ruling Congress have backed the government’s stance that there was no need for a JPC as the Public Accounts Committee, headed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Murli Manohar Joshi, was already looking into the Comptroller and Auditor General report on the 2G spectrum allocation.

“I am renewing my appeal to the opposition (to break the logjam),” Mukherjee said.

The government has held two rounds of talks with opposition leaders to end the stalemate but without success.